Act on the Promotion of Education at Overseas Educational Facilities
(Act No. 73 of June 17, 2022)
Table of Contents
Chapter I General Provisions (Articles 1 through 6)
Chapter II Basic Policy (Article 7)
Chapter III Basic Measures (Articles 8 through 14)
Supplementary Provisions
Chapter I General Provisions
(Purpose)
Article 1 The purpose of this Act is, in light of the fact that overseas educational facilities play an important role in ensuring opportunities for children who are Japanese nationals residing overseas (referred to below as "children of Japanese nationals residing overseas") to receive education, and in order to respond to changes in the environment surrounding education at overseas educational facilities, to comprehensively and effectively promote measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities by establishing basic principles, clarifying the responsibilities of the State, and providing for the formulation of a basic policy and other matters serving as the basis for measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities, thereby contributing to the development of creative individuals with rich humanity who are capable of supporting the next generation of society and playing active roles in the international community, as well as to the promotion of international mutual understanding.
(Definitions)
Article 2 (1) The term "school" as used in this Act means an elementary school, junior high school, or high school as prescribed in Article 1 of the School Education Act (Act No. 26 of 1947).
(2) The term "overseas educational facility" as used in this Act means an educational facility established overseas for the children of Japanese nationals residing overseas that falls under any of the following:
(i) educational facilities designated by public notice by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology as equivalent to schools;
(ii) in addition to those listed in the preceding item, educational facilities that provide part of the curriculum of a school and conform to the standards specified by the Minister for Foreign Affairs concerning the following matters, as being necessary for systematically providing education in accordance with the mental and physical development of children of Japanese nationals residing overseas:
(a) the establisher of the educational facility;
(b) the content of Japanese language education and other education provided at the educational facility;
(c) the number of children of Japanese nationals enrolled in the educational facility;
(d) the status of securing teachers and other staff for the educational facility;
(e) the operational system of the educational facility.
(Basic Principles)
Article 3 The promotion of education at overseas educational facilities must be carried out in accordance with the following basic principles:
(i) ensuring, to the fullest extent possible, opportunities for children of Japanese nationals residing overseas to receive education;
(ii) ensuring that the educational environment at overseas educational facilities is maintained at a level equivalent to that at schools;
(iii) fostering, among children of Japanese nationals residing overseas, an attitude of respect for different cultures, and promoting understanding of Japan in foreign countries.
(Responsibilities of the State)
Article 4 The State is responsible for comprehensively formulating and implementing measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities in accordance with the basic principles referred to in the preceding Article.
(Strengthening Coordination)
Article 5 The State is to endeavor to strengthen coordination among relevant ministries and agencies, other relevant organizations, and the establishers, etc. of overseas educational facilities, and to develop other necessary systems so that measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities are implemented smoothly.
(Financial Measures)
Article 6 The government must take the necessary financial and other measures to implement measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities.
Chapter II Basic Policy
Article 7 (1) The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Minister for Foreign Affairs must establish the basic policy for comprehensively and effectively promoting measures for promoting education at overseas educational facilities (referred to below in this Article as "basic policies").
(2) The basic policy is to specify the following matters:
(i) matters concerning the basic direction of the promotion of education at overseas educational facilities;
(ii) matters concerning the content of the promotion of education at overseas educational facilities;
(iii) in addition to the matters listed in the preceding two items, important matters concerning the promotion of education at overseas educational facilities.
(3) The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Minister for Foreign Affairs are to review the basic policy approximately once every five years, taking into consideration changes in circumstances surrounding education at overseas educational facilities, and, when they find it necessary, amend it.
(4) When the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Minister for Foreign Affairs establish or amend the basic policy, they are to publish it without delay.
Chapter III Basic Measures
(Securing of Teachers and Staff at Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 8 The State is to take necessary measures to secure teachers and other staff at overseas educational facilities, in cooperation with local governments.
(Enhancement of Training for Teachers and Staff of Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 9 The State is to take necessary measures to improve the quality of teachers and other staff members of overseas educational facilities, including enhancing their training.
(Enhancement of Educational Content and Methods at Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 10 (1) The State is to provide information, including reference materials, promote the use of information and communications technology at overseas educational facilities, and take other necessary measures to enhance educational content and methods at overseas educational facilities.
(2) In taking the measures referred to in the preceding paragraph, the State is to give due consideration so that the educational content at overseas educational facilities reflects the characteristics of the regions in which the facilities are located.
(Ensuring the Proper and Sound Operation of Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 11 The State is to develop a consultation system concerning the operation of overseas educational facilities and take other necessary measures to ensure the proper and sound operation of overseas educational facilities.
(Safety Measures for Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 12 The State is to take necessary measures, including providing information on safety measures for overseas educational facilities and on the safety of the regions in which they are located, in order to ensure the safety of children of Japanese nationals residing overseas enrolled in overseas educational facilities and of teachers and other staff members at those facilities.
(Promotion of International Exchange Through Overseas Educational Facilities)
Article 13 (1) The State is to take necessary measures, including promoting activities that contribute to enhancing the appeal of Japan at overseas educational facilities (referred to in the following paragraph as "appeal promotion activities"), in order to promote international exchange through overseas educational facilities.
(2) The State is to provide necessary information, advice, and other assistance when voluntary activities that contribute to appeal promotion activities are carried out, including activities conducted through overseas educational facilities to introduce Japanese culture, promote the Japanese language, accept persons other than children of Japanese nationals residing overseas who wish to receive education at overseas educational facilities, and otherwise promote understanding of Japan in foreign countries.
(Promotion of Research and Studies)
Article 14 The State is to take necessary measures to promote research on educational content and methods at overseas educational facilities and other research and studies relating to education at overseas educational facilities, and to disseminate and utilize the results of such research and studies.
Supplementary Provisions
(Effective Date)
Article 1 This Act comes into effect on the date of promulgation.
(Review)
Article 2 (1) Promptly after the enforcement of this Act, the government is to review measures for further enhancing support for children and students who have returned from overseas and who are not proficient in Japanese, and take necessary measures based on the results of that review.
(2) The government is to conduct a survey on the actual conditions of education for pre-school children (meaning pre-school children as provided for in Article 6, paragraph (1) of the Child and Child Rearing Support Act (Act No. 65 of 2012); the same applies below) at educational facilities established overseas for children of Japanese nationals residing overseas, and, based on the results of the survey, review the educational content for pre-school children at the relevant educational facilities and, when it finds it necessary, take the necessary measures.